# Appearance Customization | WPF Controls | DevExpress Documentation

The [DXTabControl](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl)‘s layout, style, and behavior settings are defined by `View` objects, which are descended from [TabControlViewBase](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.TabControlViewBase)  classes. Each `View` has a customizable layout and behavior. For more information, refer to the following topic: [Views Overview](/WPF/113984/controls-and-libraries/layout-management/tab-control/fundamentals/views/views-overview).

In addition to standard customization properties, [DXTabControl](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl) and [DXTabItem](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem) include several extended styling features:

- Colorized Tabs
- Custom Theming
- Customizable Areas

## Colorized Tabs

[DXTabItem.AccentColor](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.AccentColor) and [DXTabItem.BorderColor](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.BorderColor) properties allow you to specify the background/foreground color of the [DXTabItem](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem)‘s header and the [DXTabItem](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem)‘s border color.

![TabControl_ColorizedTabs](/WPF/images/tabcontrol_colorizedtabs117931.png)

Refer to the following topic for more information: [Change Tab Background in DXTabControl and Keep the Default Gradient and Highlight Effects](/WPF/115323/controls-and-libraries/layout-management/tab-control/examples/how-to-change-tab-background-in-dxtabcontrol-and-keep-the-default-gradient-and-highlight-effects).

## Custom Theming

You can use the following properties to define a custom theming mechanism without overriding the default theme’s resources:

- [DXTabItem.NormalBackgroundTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.NormalBackgroundTemplate) is responsible for the default tab item header background.
- [DXTabItem.HoverBackgroundTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.HoverBackgroundTemplate) is responsible for the tab item header appearance when it is under a mouse pointer.
- [DXTabItem.SelectedBackgroundTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.SelectedBackgroundTemplate) is responsible for the tab item header appearance when it is selected.
- [DXTabItem.FocusedBackgroundTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabItem.FocusedBackgroundTemplate) is responsible for the tab item header appearance when it is focused.

Refer to the following topic for additional information: [Change Tab Appearance in DXTabControl when a Tab Is Selected, Focused Or Hovered](/WPF/115324/controls-and-libraries/layout-management/tab-control/examples/how-to-change-the-tab-background-in-dxtabcontrol-when-a-tab-is-selected-focused-or-hovered).

## Customizable Areas

Several customizable areas can be templated using the following properties:

[View Example: Customize DXTabControl's Content Header, Content Footer, and Control Box Areas](https://github.com/DevExpress-Examples/wpf-dxtabcontrol-customize-header-footer-and-control-box-areas)

- [DXTabControl.ControlBoxLeftTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl.ControlBoxLeftTemplate) and [DXTabControl.ControlBoxRightTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl.ControlBoxRightTemplate) properties allow you to visualize the left control and right box respectively.

      ![TabControl_ControlBoxes](/WPF/images/tabcontrol_controlboxes118150.png)
- [DXTabControl.ContentFooterTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl.ContentFooterTemplate) and [DXTabControl.ContentHeaderTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl.ContentHeaderTemplate) properties are responsible for the areas at the top and bottom of [DXTabControl](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl) content.

      ![TabControl_HeaderAndFooter](/WPF/images/tabcontrol_headerandfooter118152.png)
- Use the [DXTabControl.ControlBoxPanelTemplate](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl.ControlBoxPanelTemplate) property to define custom elements within the tab panel of [DXTabControl](/WPF/DevExpress.Xpf.Core.DXTabControl).

      ![TabControl_PanelControlBox](/WPF/images/tabcontrol_panelcontrolbox118750.png)